Bubo
BYOO-boh
Genus
Owl — used for the eagle-owls and great horned owls
Literally: An owl
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bubo | An owl | Latin (=bubo) | Latin noun, nominative singular, 3rd declension; used directly as the genus name with no modification |
Bubo is a single uninomial genus name. It is the Latin word bubo (nominative singular, 3rd declension) used directly and without alteration as a Latinized noun. No epithet is present. The genus was erected by Duméril (1806) and encompasses the eagle-owls and great horned owls (family Strigidae). The Latin word itself is thought to be onomatopoeic, echoing the deep hooting call of large owls.
Pronunciation
- BYOO-boh Two-syllable word: stress the penult (rule 1). The penult vowel u is long ('you') by the rule that u followed by a single consonant before a vowel is long. Final -o is long ('oh') by the rule that a final vowel is long.
Other readings
Some authorities note a possible connection to Greek bouas (a large owl) or bubon (groin, in medical Latin referring to a swelling), but in zoological nomenclature the Latin meaning 'an owl' is unambiguous and universally accepted.
The dictionary entry is =bubo (Latin), meaning 'An owl', confirmed with high confidence. A separate Greek root bubon means 'the groin' and gives the medical term bubo (a swollen lymph node); this is etymologically unrelated to the owl genus. The name is onomatopoeic in origin, mimicking the resonant hoot of eagle-owls.